Overview
The University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center-Health Sciences Program is one of the two Denver campuses of the University of Colorado; the University also has a campus in Boulder and one in Colorado Springs. It includes the dental, medical, pharmacy, and nursing schools, University Hospital, and the graduate programs of the departments in the various schools.

The Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics has a multidisciplinary faculty actively involved in medical and graduate education, residency training, research, and service to the public health community and to the medical community at large. Faculty research interests include chronic disease epidemiology, perinatal epidemiology, injury epidemiology, medical care evaluation, health policy, medical ethics, preventive health care, environmental epidemiology, and biostatistics.

Approximately 90 students are currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Public Health program. They have a very broad range of experiences and career goals. Eighty percent are women, and about 30 percent are physicians.

A recent survey indicated that 91 percent of the respondents are currently working in the public health field. The majority of respondents indicated that they are currently working for a state government or in an academic setting. The largest number of respondents described their current position as epidemiological research.

The Location and Community
The University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center-Health Sciences Program is located in a medical/public health complex approximately 3 miles from downtown Denver and the Colorado state capitol. The Denver metropolitan area is located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. It offers all the cultural, recreational, athletic, and economic opportunities to be found in a major city.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The degree program leading to the Master of Science in Public Health (M.S.P.H.) is intended to provide graduate-level training that introduces students to the core content areas of public health. Specific program emphases include epidemiological research, community needs assessment, public health practice and ethics, environmental and occupational health, and health policy. The program’s goals are to provide education for students in the core content and methodological areas of public health (epidemiology, biostatistics, health-care systems, occupational and environmental health, and social and community factors in health); to prepare students for practical application of acquired skills and knowledge to public and community health research, community needs assessment, and program planning and evaluation; to direct students to relevant elective course work and help them to apply all areas of program learning experiences to their individual interests and activities in the health field; to give students an opportunity to demonstrate an integration of acquired skills and knowledge, as well as an ability to organize, synthesize, and communicate these skills orally and in writing, through preparation and defense of a publishable research paper or a thesis; and to enrich graduate medical education programs and continuing education for public health professionals. The program would be of interest to those working or expecting to work in academic or clinical settings, industry, or government health agencies. It is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.

The program includes a core of required courses and a choice of electives that enable the student, in consultation with a faculty adviser, to plan an individual course of study that is responsive to the student’s needs and interests. Electives may include departmental offerings as well as a broad range of course offerings in other programs of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center-Health Sciences Program and on the Boulder and Denver campuses of the University. Independent study may be organized with departmental faculty members and through a variety of health agencies with which the department enjoys excellent working relationships. Completion of the degree program requires 40 semester hours, including 4 hours toward a research project resulting in either a thesis or publishable research paper. Both full- and part-time study is encouraged. Full-time students normally graduate in about two years. Part-time students are allowed up to four years to complete the program. The program is committed to maintaining the high quality of faculty-student interactions and thus will remain relatively small, admitting approximately 30 new students each year.

Facilities & Resources
The department houses a computer-user room, with personal computers and appropriate analytical software, which is available to students and faculty in the department. The Dennison Memorial Library serves the Health Sciences Center-Health Sciences Program and contains more than 240,000 volumes and 1,900 periodicals. Research opportunities are available both through research projects directed by faculty members and through arrangements with the Colorado Department of Health, county health departments, and community health agencies.

Expenses and Aid
The tuition for the academic year is $294 per credit hour for Colorado residents and $497 per credit hour for nonresidents. In addition, approximately $1500 is needed annually for the activity fees, medical insurance, and health service insurance.

Financial Aid:
The department grants a limited number of assistantships through funds available from the Graduate School. Other aid is available through the Office of Financial Aid, to which application can be made only after a student has been admitted to the program. Funds include Federal Perkins Loans and Colorado Graduate Loans. Inquiries regarding financial aid should be addressed to the Office of Financial Aid, UCHSC, 4200 East Ninth Avenue.

Housing/Living Expenses:
There is no on-campus housing, but there is an ample supply of apartments, duplexes, and houses in the Denver metropolitan area. Many of these accommodations are within walking distance of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center-Health Sciences Program and are usually available for immediate occupancy. Average monthly rents for unfurnished housing near campus are $700 for one-bedroom apartments and $1000 for two-bedroom apartments. Houses rent for $1000 and up per month. Total monthly expenses, including costs of food and moderate entertainment, are estimated at $1000 for a single student and $1500 for a couple.

How to Apply
Application materials, which describe the admission requirements in detail, are available from the program office. A baccalaureate degree is required as a minimum. GRE General Test scores are required of all applicants. A brief statement describing the applicant’s career goals and reasons for applying to the program is also expected. Interviews with faculty members may also be required. All application materials must be received by February 1 for entry in either the summer or fall semester.

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